Microsoft's Financial Reporting Strategy [HBS 9-100-027] 1. What are the factors that likely explain the difference between Microsoft's market value of equity and its reported book value of equity? 2. What effect did Microsoft's software capitalization policy have on its financial statements? Ignore any potential tax effects. a. Assume that 60% of Microsoft's research and development expenses were incurred after technological feasibility was established, that the average product life was two years, and that the company begins amortizing software costs on Microsoft's fiscal 1997, 1998, and 1999 income statements and balance sheets. b. Speculate as to why Microsoft chose to expense all software costs as incurred rather than capitalizing a portion of these costs. 3. What effects did Microsoft's revenue recognition policy have on its financial statements? Ignore any potential tax effects. a. Estimate the amount of revenue that Microsoft would have been reported for each year from 1997 through 1999 if Microsoft had not adopted its new revenue recognition policy in 1996. b. Speculate as to why Microsoft decided to defer a portion of its revenues in fiscal 1996. 4. What was the overall impact of these two policies on Microsoft's fiscal 1997, 1998, 1999 financial statements? 5. In your opinion, did Microsoft provide its analysts with information that was being intentionally overly pessimistic? Are there any benefits to the company to being outwardly pessimistic about its future prospects? 6. Describe Microsoft's overall financial reporting strategy. Why had the company adopted this strategy and why was the SEC concerned about it?